Friday, August 31, 2012

Handmade Laundry Detergent

As a stay at home single mom I try to find as many ways as possible to cut costs. We have all noticed how expensive laundry detergent has gotten....its outrageous!! So why not make your own at home that is inexpensive, easy to make with three basic ingredients you can find at your local grocery store, is just as effective as those expensive brands in both top loading and HE washers and you avoid chemicals.

As I said..its easy...3 basic ingredients..
1 cup Borax
1 cup Washing soda
1/3 - 1/2 shredded Bar of soap ( I use my Castile Soap as its unscented, all natural and vegan friendly, but you can use any natural soap). If you prefer scented you can always use a scented natural soap or add a few drops of your favorite essential oil.

Grate your soap - you can use a food grader or be lazy like me and use a food processor. Mix grated soap, borax and washing soda together. Store in a container with a lid in a dry area.

To Use: add 1 tablespoon to your wash. You can use 2 tablespoons for heavily soiled items.

This laundry detergent has low suds and is safe for HE washers. Suds are not what cleans your clothes... suds are produced by a chemical added to commercial soaps and laundry detergents. Another good side note is that the low suds and all natural detergent is safe for your septic tanks (the high suds and added chemicals of commercial brands can cause your lines to clog).

For a natural fabric softener... add a cup of white vinegar to the rinse cycle. I add a few drops of lavender EO when I do my linens..the vinegar scent disappears when clothes are dry and leaves behind the wonder smell of lavender.